It’s depressing to think about, but unfortunately, KISF is no longer on vacation, living it up. The trip across the pond was a wonderful adventure that I won’t soon forget. Which of course is why I’m super sad to be back. Then again, it’s nice to be home.
Let’s talk about the food. London was fabulous! We tasted it all, or as much as we could in three short days. Some of the highlights included feasting on modern Indian cuisine at the Painted Heron, and noshing on modern British dishes at Kettner’s restaurant and champagne bar.
We eagerly sampled spicy masala, basmati, crispy fried eggplant, fish cakes with mushy peas, and, of course, many many desserts! Two very happy travelers.
Since we were in Britain, a state known for tea- high tea, afternoon tea, tea time, and tea parties- we had afternoon tea at the very classy and very British Goring hotel near Buckingham Palace. The experience impressed even my reluctant boyfriend, who initially winced at the idea of shelling out for a stuffy meal of boring tea and a few snacks. It took a bit of convincing, but I won out (per usual) and I dare say he enjoyed it even more so than I. It was truly impressive, indescribably good, but I’ll give it my best shot.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with the tradition of afternoon tea, it’s definitely a must do if ever you get the chance. Tea is served with a variety of finger sized snacks and desserts-sandwiches of cool cucumber and watercress or smoked salmon and butter, fluffy sweet scones with clotted cream and jam, and of course decadent and playful desserts. Afternoon tea at the Goring is stuffed with too many goodies to sample, in endless supply. My favorite was a Willy Wonka-esque bubble gum flavored meringue filled with a vanilla bean “diplomat” cream. It was hands down the most interesting and delicious thing I’ve ever eaten. No exaggeration. Plus, the tea setting was just so pretty.
Our next stop was Dublin, which was more of a low key affair. We hit up a few of the local pubs (where we sipped on more than our fair share of Guinness and Kilkenny) and take away fish and chips stands. For my birthday dinner, we sampled traditional, eco-friendly Irish fare at the historic, literary cafe Winding Stair. Perhaps the most memorable food experience was eating at a local resto called Gruel. It was recommended in our guide book and by our walking tour guide. Turned out to be a little gem of a place with a very low key, hipster type vibe, serving simple foods like eggs benedicts, quiche, soups and the like. We enjoyed it so much we actually ate there twice in two days!
Overall, the trip was a blast. Enjoyed everything I ate and can’t wait for my next food adventure. With that, I’ll leave you a few miscellaneous food pics to whet your appetite.
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These photos are great! Looks like you had a great time!
Wow, that food looks great! When I was in London I had mediocre food, but I was also a student at the time and didn’t feel like shelling out! Hope you are recovering from the jet lag!
sounds (and looks!) like an awesome trip : ) I can’t wait to hear more about it!
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